Liverpool defeated rivals Everton 3-0.

Steven Gerrard scored the first hat-trick in a merseyside derby in 30 years last night, sailing Liverpool to victory with a 3-0 lead.

Gerrard, making his 400th league appearance, quelled the hopes of Everton manager David Moyes, who had said prior to the match that he was adamant on getting a win at Anfield – his first in 10 years with the club. But it was not to be, as Gerrard worked alongside Luis Suarez to reach the back of the net three times, dampening the spirits of the away fans hoping to capitalise on what has been on inconsistent season for Liverpool.

Speaking after the match, Gerrard said of his and his team's performance: "To beat Everton is always special, so to get three goals is a little bit extra, but I have to give my team-mates a special mention, especially Luis Suárez who put two goals on a plate for me.

"It was a great team performance, a clean sheet. Everything we wanted from the game we got it."

Gerrard's praise for Suarez, Liverpool's most controversial player following the ongoing debacle with Manchester United's Patrice Evra, didn't end there. He continued: "I haven't played with him much but when we do we seem to have an understanding. With Andy [Carroll] as well. I think the three of us in the starting eleven are always going to be a threat. Hopefully that can continue to get stronger and stronger."

Gerrard also called for the squad to be more consistent with their victories, saying: "It's been frustrating, the inconsistency we've been showing in the league, very frustrating.

"We played very well against Arsenal and got nothing, then we never turned up at Sunderland [they lost 1-0 on Saturday]. We're going from one extreme to another at the moment.

"We need to find a level of consistency where we go on a winning streak, rather than win one and lose one, because otherwise we find ourselves in a position in the league that we don't want."

Liverpool are currently seventh in the league and trailing ten point behind Arsenal, who are in fourth place. At this stage in the season it seems highly unlikely that the mersey club will finish the league in the top four.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish echoed Gerrard's thoughts on the necessity of maintaining consistency, saying: "We've got to carry on and do the best we can to win more games and if we do that – compete like that – I'm sure we will but then they have done in many games here this season."

He also praised Gerrard's performance, saying: "For a guy who left school at 15, my vocabulary is not that great. There is no way I could extol the virtues of Steven Gerrard and do him justice.

"He's been fantastic for this football club – three goals was a fantastic reward."